I am copying a post from Shannon as I feel it gives a taste for where sweet Anela is staying. I wanted to reiterate that the Butterfly House is an amazing place. Please check it out online if you get a chance.
I woke up feeling well, ready. We had a good devotion time together as a group, and were so excited to go to the Butterfly House. While we waited to go in, we spent some time walking down the street looking in the shops.
We went in and met Suzy, the assistant at Butterfly House. Sweet as can be, and speaks perfect English.
I should say, if you do not know of the Butterfly House Please check out their sight online. I had found them when I found Angels file and it really is just an amazing place. Right now it sits above the Changsha Social Welfare Institute. Lynn is just wonderful and the work she is doing, life changing. It is a small place, not a lot of kids. Most of them are pretty severe medical needs. Right now they have been moved to right above the SWI, so a smaller space than they are used to. I missed much of what Lyn was telling everyone as I was dealing with all the bus/train/guide issues.
BUT, I did not miss the most important part, BABIES!! Half the team went to see the Changsha SWI and half of us went with Lyn to see Butterfly House. I of course raced straight with Lyn to butterfly house. Which then we ended up missing out on the SWI portion. I hope the half of the team that went will share what they saw there on their blogs. (check sidebars)
She walked us around to each crib holding a sleeping baby and told us their story. I was doing ok, till we met tiny Isabelle. She has a liver condition and she will not live much longer. Here we are gazing down into the crib of a perfect tiny Angel, and she has not much longer? How do you walk away from that? I wanted to scoop her up in my arms and run with her. I know she is being loved though and kissed on, but oh my it was so emotional. Then we met another little guy in the same condition. TEARS. My team was so worried before we left that they would blubber like babies once we walked in. Well it was ME, who could not stop. I was able to peek at Angel and she was asleep. Perfect, oh so tiny. And then the big ole ugly tears started, the I want to sob kind.
We spent awhile playing with babies and then had to get outside and switch our luggage around. That was fun. Actually to SEE our luggage, WAS fun!
After we went back up and Angel was awake! She is a DIVA! You can tell she is going to have that Hunan Spice to her FOR SURE! She came right to me and let me love all over her. It was an odd and crazy feeling. Holding her in my arms. We were SO close to her being ours and so I fell in love with her. Just because the Lord said no, does not mean I am not head over heels for her. So as I held her I cried of course, but also rejoiced that she is going to such a precious family.
After spending more time with the babies, we went to lunch with Lyn and Suzy, then had a big photo session. We asked Suzy to take the pictures, 13 cameras I think.
Off to the train station for our ride on the bullet train, very exciting! The station was crazy but a wonderful place to people watch! Or BE people watched in our case maybe. About this time while waiting my phone died. Our guide put us in a spot and said do not move. And so over an HOUR went by with no sign of her. Finally she came and we were off to jump on.
I was able to sit with Megan on the train ride. What an amazing girl! So mature for her age and just such a servants heart, love her. It was the QUICKEST hour and then we were finally in Chenzhou! We were told to quickly get off the bus because we would get TWO minutes before the doors shut and the train moved on. Alrighty! Thankfully we all made it off with our bags, and our arms.
We checked into the hotel and everyone decided they just wanted KFC for dinner across the street. And THAT is where the excitement began!!
